JINGLE HELL

TEN DARK STORIES FROM CHRISTMASES PAST

Written by Callum McKelvie

Santa, sleigh rides, snowmen – what does Christmas mean to you? Likely it inspires feelings of joy, comfort, warm cozy nights under the glow of the Christmas tree and delicious feasts with your loved ones. Yet seasonal celebrations to close out the year have been around in one form or another for centuries and during that time not every Christmas has been white – some have been rather bloody indeed.

From a 10th-century Bohemian king whose violent death ensured he lived on in a popular carol, to a snowball fight that only ended with military intervention and the must-have 1980s Christmas toy that led to widespread rioting, these are just a few examples of the darker side of the festive season. Here, for your macabre reading pleasure, we present ten tales from Christmases past where things were not quite so holly-jolly. So buckle up and prepare for a ‘slay’ ride into jingle hell…

EDINBURGH SNOWBALL RIOTS

HOW WINTER FRIVOLITY TURNED INTO ALL-OUT WAR Scotland, 1838

The tradition of a wintery snowball fight is an image often associated with Christmas. However, in Edinburgh in 1838 the high-spirited fun quickly descended into carnage. It began on 11 January outside the Old College when students from the university and local tradesmen began hurling snowballs at each other. Harmless enough – until stones were placed inside, resulting in numerous windows being broken.

The police were able to put a stop to the initial skirmish, but over the coming days it flared up again – only this time the students armed themselves with weapons. Seeing no other way to end the chaos, the lord provost (the city’s civic leader) requested military assistance and troops descended upon the city. What had begun with snowballs ended with the army.

In the aftermath five students were placed on trial in a court case that was more complex than it might initially seem. The students were motivated by the desire to keep the university quadrangle out of the local police and magistrate jurisdiction; the locals, on the other hand, were motivated by the age-old resentment of privilege. The students were eventually acquitted.